Johann Sigismund Weiss

Johann Sigismund Weiss (after 1690 – 12 April 1737) was a German lutenist and composer. He was probably born in Breslau, Silesia (now Wrocław, Poland) to lutenist Johann Jacob Weiss, who taught the lute to Johann Sigismund and his elder siblings Silvius Leopold and Juliana Margaretha. From , Weiss and his father were employed by Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine. An important performance during this time included at the 1711 imperial election, before Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, and many German princes. After the elector died in 1716, Weiss faced some uncertainty. He spent some time travelling and giving concerts, particularly in London, where he gave at least 19 concerts in 1718. Under the new Elector Charles III Philip, Weiss became vice-concertmaster and later concertmaster of his court orchestra in Mannheim. Not many compositions are known with certainty to be his, and they have not been the subject of much attention. In his time, he was praised by Ernst Gottlieb Baron as comparable to his brother Silvius. In Hans Neemann’s opinion, Weiss was an important predecessor of Johann Stamitz at Mannheim. Family background and early life Weiss was probably born in Breslau (now Wrocła